1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pan head for turning a pedestal (which has a mechanism for holding an image pickup device) in at least one of the horizontal and vertical directions. The present invention also relates to an image pickup device held by such a pan head, and to an image input apparatus provided with both the pan head and the image pickup device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a video camera which generates video signals corresponding to a subject has been widely used as an image input apparatus for a computer, and a combination system made up of this video camera and a computer (for example, a personal computer and a work station) is proceeding toward practical utilization in electronic mail for images, a videoconference system, and the like.
In these electronic image mail and video conference systems, a monitoring camera developed for monitoring, an image input apparatus equipped with a combination of a monitoring camera with a remote controlled lens and a remote controlled pan head for holding the monitoring camera, and the like are used.
For example, in a videoconference system using only a monitoring camera, the monitoring camera is fixed on the ceiling, the wall or the like so as to capture a predetermined image taking area. However, since the image taking area of the monitoring camera is thus predetermined, it is impossible to adapt to various circumstances, for example, to concentrate image taking on an arbitrary speaker, by changing the image taking area during a videoconference, which thus results in a failure to sufficiently deliver functionality with respect to the videoconference.
On the other hand, in a videoconference system using an image input apparatus equipped with a combination of a monitoring camera with a remote controlled lens and a remote controlled pan head for holding the monitoring camera, the pan head with the monitoring camera mounted thereon is fixed on the ceiling, the wall or the like, and the lens and the pan head are driven by remote control as occasion demands. Since this method can change the image taking area and direction by remote control, it is possible to readily concentrate image taking on an arbitrary speaker, or to take an image of the whole or part of a conference room, and therefore, to sufficiently deliver functionality required for the videoconference. Furthermore, a camera with a lens having an appropriate focal length can be mounted on the pan head, which allows the choice of a video camera with reference to the environment such as a conference room.
The above-mentioned image input apparatus is equipped with a pan head for interchangeably mounting a video camera thereon to choose a video camera suited to the environment. However, since the driving force of a pedestal in the pan head is set such as to cope with the heaviest video camera to be mounted thereon, a large pan head, which is high in cost, is needed. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain a low-cost image input apparatus.
Furthermore, it is necessary to change the control on the pan head in accordance with a video camera at every replacement of the video camera, and this change is troublesome.
In order to lower the cost of the pan head and to simplify the change of control on the pan head, a videoconference camera combining an image pickup device and a pan head has been developed and is nearing practical use. However, since the image pickup device and the pan head are combined in the videoconference camera, it is impossible to choose the camera with reference to the environment, such as a conference room.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image input apparatus which solves the above problems, achieves high general versatility, reduces cost, and simplifies the change of operation control on a pan head.
In order to achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image input apparatus having a pan head for mounting an image pickup device thereon and for changing the image pickup direction (or orientation) of said image pickup device, wherein the image pickup device comprises an engaging portion and a transmission means capable of transmitting specification information about an operation of the pan head from the image pickup device to the pan head, and the pan head comprises a holding portion to be engaged with the engaging portion so as to interchangeably hold the image pickup device, a receiving means capable of receiving the specification information when the image pickup device is held by the holding portion, and a selection means for selecting an operation of the pan head corresponding to the held image pickup device based on the specification information received.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pan head for mounting an image pickup device thereon and for changing the image pickup direction of the image pickup device, the pan head comprising a holding means for interchangeably holding the image pickup device, and a selection means for selecting an operation of the pan head corresponding to the image pickup device when the image pickup device is mounted on the holding means.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image pickup device mountable on a pan head capable of changing the image pickup direction of the image pickup device, the image pickup device comprising an engaging portion to be engaged with a holding portion provided in the pan head, and a transmission means capable of transmitting information about an operation of the pan head from the image pickup device to the pan head.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.